One updated stat reclaimed a stolen snippet

One updated stat reclaimed a stolen snippet
07:55 UTC — Confirmed by a data-blog editor. A competitor stole their statistic snippet by citing a fresher figure. They didn't rewrite the page — they updated the single lifted sentence with the current-year number and a dated source line right beside it.
— Snippet returned to them in 6 days
— Held since, ~3 months and counting
— Recovered an estimated 2,200 clicks/month
Why it matters: For stat and "how many" queries, reportedly recency of the cited number is the tiebreaker. You don't need a full refresh — just the liftable sentence carrying the newest verifiable figure. Stale numbers lose the box to anyone who updates one line. Watching this.